My nasal polyp studies…Part 1

Been doing a lot of reading on nasal polyp.

As seen in the picture, if untreated, nasal polyps may cause gradual spreading of the nasal bones and widening of the nasal bridge.

Did not sleep well last might thinking of my nasal polyp. Decided to do some reading on the topic. Here are a few facts I found…

Patient asks: I had Nasal polyps Polypectomy in October of 1999 and in May of 2001 the polyps came back.  I followed all of my doctor’s advice about avoiding certain allergens and performing daily nasa lavages.  However, I do have asthma and nasal polyps are prevelant in some asthma patients. I am now part of a nasal polyp study that which wil last for four months.  My doctor mentioned to me if the study medication does not work, she suggests having another surgery.

Doctor answers: It is very common for people with polyps to have multiple surgical procedures. These usually have no direct relationship with allergy, but are associated with asthma. I know this is not a very positive answer, but it is an accurate one. Trying to control polyps medically as long as you can tolerate them is the best way to avoid surgery. Good luck

Patient asks: What is considered a large polyp?  Can you give me a size range in CM for a normal human being?

Doctor answers: Nasal polyps are fleshy growths of the lining of the nose and sinuses.  Their roots are found in the upper part of the nose and in the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses.  On a sinus x-ray they may look like clouding of the ethmoid and maxillary sinuses.  A developing polyp is teardrop-shaped.  A mature polyp looks like a peeled seedless grape.  They can get large enough to block the opening of the sinuses and the nasal passage.  However the size is irrelevant since they are soft tissue growths so they are easily compressed.

Patient asks: How many types of nasal polyps are there, is surgery a necessity if there are currently no symptoms.  Can polyps ever be pre-cancerous?

Doctor answers: When examined under a microscope, the majority of nasals polyps differ only slightly.  Some are and some are not a response to aspirin sensitivity.  None are pre-cancerous.  Surgery is seldom necessary as most nasals polyps can be treated successfully with a nasal steroid spray.  Complete or near complete nasal obstruction by polyps, unresponsive to nasal steroid sprays may require surgery.

My Nasal Polyp

I started experiencing nasal congestion… it was only later that I would discover that it was due to nasal polyp. Something that I had never ever imagined in my wildest dreams.

My nose started to leak continuously. It started to get embarrassing. I mean how could you expect to work in an office with a running nose? It came to the point where I was carrying 6 to 8 handkerchiefs to work.

I had a runny nose with clear or colored mucus continuously flowing out of it. Gosh it was terrible. It is terrible – I am still suffering from it.
Then I started to suffer from severe headaches.
In a while I totally lost all sense of smell.
The nose continued to leak more and more. The sneezing got from bad to worse. It was time to visit the doctor.
I hate doctors. I call the “Baniya Ki Dukaans”. If you do not know, “Baniya” is a small grocery store owner. You go to a “Baniya” on a regular basis to buy your daily household necessities.
And that is why I hate Doctors today. They do not want to give you a cure. Because if they did, you would not go back. So how would the Quack make money?
I am not sorry to say that I have no guilt or qualms in calling doctors of today – Quacks! It comes from experience. Very rarely would you come across a doctor who stands by his sworn oath.
So trip to doctor found me diagnosed with nasal polyps and I had to undergo surgery. When I asked the doctor how much it would cost, he refused to tell me. What kind of a doctor is such who refuses to tell a patient the cost of the operation.

The doctor prescribed one ton of medicines. Told me to do a CT Scan after a week and then he would operate. No amount of convincing would get him to fix a price tag to my nasal polyps.
As it is I do not think kindly of doctors and to top it of… this!
To make matters worse, I do not have money to cover costs of operation. My wife and I were worried. We were at our wits end.
What would become of us? We are poor, literally living from day to day.
And that how this blog was conceived.
I welcome all your feedback, positive or negative!